Monday, July 23, 2007

BAN KI-MOON INVITES THE NETHERLANDS TO HOST

LEBANON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL

Today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations sent a
letter to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands in which he invites the
Government of the Netherlands to consider hosting the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon [on the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri].

In his letter the Secretary-General stresses the fact that the
Netherlands already hosts several courts and tribunals, such as the
International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and
the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and that the
experience gained could be of great value for the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon.

The Secretary-General hopes that the Government of the Netherlands will
give serious consideration to the request. He intends to be in close
contact with the Government to discuss any issues related to the
request.

Asked whether the Dutch Government had accepted hosting the tribunal,
the Spokeswoman said that the letter from the Secretary-General to the
Netherlands had only been transmitted today, and a reply had not yet
come. She reiterated that the Secretary-General would continue to be in
close contact with the Dutch Government to discuss any issues related
to the request.

SECRETARY-GENERAL IS SADDENED BY DEATH OF FORMER AFGHAN KING

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened by the death of Mohammad
Zahir Shah, the former king of Afghanistan. He sends his most sincere
condolences to the family of Mohammad Zahir Shah and to the Afghan
Government and its people.

Mohammad Zahir Shah will be remembered for the long period of peace and
development that occurred during his reign. He was responsible for
adopting a Constitution in 1964 that was a model of tolerance, as well
as a synthesis of the best of Islamic and modern political thought.

The international community remains grateful for the dignity and grace
with which he accepted to surrender monarchical claims in 2004 in
favour of a republican government based on a new Constitution,
accepting instead the title of father of the nation.

Mohammad Zahir Shah spent one-third of his life in exile, while several
coups, an invasion, and a civil war engulfed his country. He returned
in 2002 to lend his prestige and efforts to supporting the
establishment of a democratic government and national reconciliation.
All those working towards these goals will mourn his death.

U.N. MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN IS CONCERNED BY INCREASE IN ABDUCTIONS

The Spokesperson for the UN Mission in Afghanistan was asked at the
weekly press briefing about the increase in abductions in the country,
and said it is a matter of serious concern, with the Mission appealing
repeatedly in recent months for the protection of civilians.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals conversation with the President of
Afghanistan on the abductions, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the
Secretary-General had spoken with President Hamid Karzai early on
Saturday. The Secretary-General would continue to be informed about
developments by his Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom
Koenigs, she added.

The Spokesperson declined to provide any further details, noting the
sensitivity of securing the release of all abductees.

SECURITY COUNCIL EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN

AT DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION IN EASTERN DR OF CONGO

The Security Council this morning received a briefing from Ambassador
Jorge Voto-Bernales of Peru, the chair of the Councils sanctions
committee on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the last report
issued by the group of experts dealing with those sanctions. A draft
resolution was circulated to extend the DRC sanctions by a year.

Afterwards, the Security Council adopted a Presidential Statement on
the DRC, which expressed deep concern at the deteriorating security
situation in the Kivus.

The Council also adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the
Monitoring Group dealing with sanctions on Somalia for a further six
months.

Also in its closed consultations this morning, the Security Council
heard from Ambassador Jean Marc de la Sablière of France, who presented the annual report of the Councils working group on children and armed conflict.

NEW POPULATION DISPLACEMENTS REPORTED IN DARFUR

The UN Mission in Sudan reports new population displacements in West
Darfur, where it says an estimated 12,000 households were on the move.
The newly displaced people said that they were fleeing prevailing
insecurity in their areas and in anticipation of a rumored attack by
Government forces.

Also over the weekend, a NGO vehicle was carjacked in South Darfur, and
harassments of internally displaced persons were reported during an UN
assessment to an IDP camp near Nyala.

MORE FLEE SOMALI CAPITAL THAN RETURN TO IT

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports
that more people have fled the Somali capital since June than have
returned to it, with over 10,000 residents fleeing war-scarred
Mogadishu last week alone.

Meanwhile, UN agencies estimate the number of internally displaced
persons at 400,000 for this year, and many among them were displaced
several times as a result of ongoing conflict.

Restrictions on daily activities in Mogadishu have also placed some
among the most vulnerable people at greater risk as their livelihoods
have been made even more precarious with the closing of the Bakara
market, a wholesale market in Mogadishu, with the price sugar today
already more than twice what it was last week.

Meanwhile, security in Mogadishu deteriorated with the start of the
National Reconciliation Conference (NRC) on 15 July, which was
adjourned on the same day because of mortar attacks. The NRC resumed
last Thursday, but seven mortar attacks were reported at day's end.

COTE D'IVOIRE: UNITED NATIONS IS DETERMINED TO TAKE

NECESSARY ACTION TO HOLD PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABLE

The UN Operation in Côte dIvoire reported this week-end that the Moroccan contingent serving in that mission was suspended and cantoned following allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by soldiers based in Bouaké.

The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is finalizing its
investigation report on these allegations.

Meanwhile, Representatives from the Department of Field Support and the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations have met with officials of that
country last week and again today to discuss the situation.

Both Departments stress their determination to take whatever action is
necessary to ensure that all UN personnel are held accountable to the
highest standards of behavior.

Asked how widespread were the abuses, the Spokeswoman said that was
still being examined.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HOPES FOR RESUMPTION

OF CONTACTS IN ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA

The report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia,
Georgia is out today.

In it, the Secretary-General hopes that the outcome of the meeting of
the Group of Friends for Georgia, chaired by the United Nations on June
27 and 28, in Bonn, will lead to tangible improvements on the ground.

The Secretary-General also stresses that both sides need to resume
contacts and implement the agreed confidence-building measures.

TRIBUNAL FOR EX-YUGOSLAVIA TO HOLD JOINT TRIAL

FOR TWO CLOSELY RELATED CASES

Late on Friday, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY) decided to revoke the referral of the Sredoje Lukic
case to Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus clearing the way for it to be
tried jointly in The Hague with the case of Milan Lukic.

The Tribunals referral bench found that a joint trial is in the
interest of justice, as the two cases are factually very closely
related. The bench also found that separate trials would have risked
increasing the trauma for witnesses, who would have had to testify
twice.

Milan and Sredoje Lukic are charged with multiple crimes, including the
murder of several dozen Bosnian Muslim women, children and elderly men
in and around the town of Viegrad.

According to the indictment, Milan Lukic was the leader of the "White
Eagles" or "Avengers", a group of Bosnian Serb paramilitaries in
Viegrad, while Sredoje Lukic, Milan Lukic's cousin, was a member of the
unit.

APPLICATION FOR U.N. MEMBERSHIP COULD

NOT BE RECEIVED ON BASIS OF ONE-CHINA POLICY

An application for UN Membership by Taiwan was conveyed by the
Permanent Representatives of two Member States. In keeping with
resolution 2758 of the General Assembly, it could not be received and
was thus returned by the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs.

Resolution 2758, which was adopted in 1971, is the basis of the
one-China policy of the United Nations.

Asked how the policy regarding China could be changed, the Spokeswoman
said it was up to the membership of the United Nations to decide on
whether any new members could be admitted. She noted that the relevant
General Assembly resolution remained in effect.

U.N. SPECIAL ADVISER ON MYANMAR HOLDS CONSULTATIONS IN MOSCOW

The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari,
arrived today in Moscow where he is scheduled to hold consultations
with senior Government officials.

From there he will travel to Paris, Brussels and London for further
meetings with Government and European Union counterparts. He will also
meet with other UN officials in Geneva before returning to New York
over the weekend.

All of Mr. Gambari's consultations are taking place within the context
of the Secretary-General's good offices mandate for Myanmar.

U.N. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BODY MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW) is observing its 25th anniversary here at Headquarters.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, addressed the
meeting this morning and said that by promoting the Committee and
womens human rights generally, the entire human rights agenda was
pushed forward.

Arbour also noted that the Committee was the first UN body to make a
recommendation on female circumcision and the first treaty body to
adopt a general recommendation on HIV/AIDs.

The Committee is a 23-person expert body establish to monitor State
party compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ONGOING DISCUSSION ON U.N. ROLE IN IRAQ: Asked about the
Secretary-Generals consultations within the United Nations about the
future UN role in Iraq, the Spokeswoman said those talks continue,
adding that the Secretary-General has made clear his intention to do
whatever he can to help the people of Iraq, depending on the
circumstances on the ground.

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ELECTION OF WOMEN AS LEADERS: Asked about
the Secretary-Generals reaction to the election of a woman as Indias
next President, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General
welcomed the election of women as leaders, and noted that, in
accordance with general practice, a congratulatory letter is sent upon
a new leaders inauguration.

BAN KI-MOON ENCOURAGES EARLIEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO: Asked
about future UN action on Kosovo, the Spokeswoman said that the
Secretary-General is encouraging the earliest possible solution.
Meanwhile, she said, the UN Mission in Kosovo and Special Envoy Martti
Ahtisaari continue with their mandated work.